Update 9.20 to release 5th September [UPDATED]

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In the past few weeks, we’ve been previewing vehicle rebalancing, SPG improvements, Chinese tank destroyers and epic Grand Battles. Now that 9.20 has been released, they’re ready for you to get your hands on them. If you’re not quite up to speed yet, read on to get a quick lowdown on what’s coming your way.

Current Premium players will be credited an additional 24 hours of Premium account time to make up for the maintenance period. If you’d like to make any in-game purchases, please wait until the servers are up and running again.

Click the images below to check out some of the deeper details on each feature.

What’s new

Vehicle Rebalancing

Four nations came under the spotlight for the latest update: Japan, France, the USA, and the USSR. Among other things, the French Foch (155) will be replaced with a new Tier-X tank destroyer, the Foch 50 B. Those who already have the (155), will get both vehicles in their garages for free. We also tinkered with the German Tech Tree, which was part of the large set of revisions we’ve been making since the beginning of 2017. This includes the combat parameters of the Maus, Mäuschen, and 8.8 cm Pak 43 Jagdtiger.

As you’d expect, these changes have been a hot topic on the forums, and soon you’ll be able to see what all the fuss is about. We put together a standalone article detailing these changes, so take a look if you haven’t already.

SPG Improvements

We’ve been working on SPGs and overhauling their mechanics for a while. It’s been a long, intense journey, and now we’re ready to let you get behind the wheels of these revised vehicles.

With the new stun mechanics, the increased splash radius often caught you despite being in cover or a similar situation. We added an extra set of variables for shooting over obstacles. The long and short is that if your cover is two or more meters thick, you’ll be safe.

However, even if it’s thick enough, but you aren’t fully hidden, the stun duration differs based on the size of the visible area. After battle, the stats will tell you the amount of stun time you caused.

Chinese TDs

These TDs that used to be exclusive to Chinese players are coming your way. There are nine in total that span the whole tier.

The lower-tier TDs have a great view range for their class. Pair this with their high camo values and you can pack a punch from distance. Around the mid-tier, Chinese TDs have better mobility and armor, plus really good alpha damage. With relatively large dispersion numbers, you can even get into mid-range fights as well as hunt down enemy tanks.

At higher tiers, you’ll encounter good alpha and firing rates that make these vehicles stand out. While their damage-per-shot is not the best in the league, they have enough firepower to seriously hurt their opponents.

Grand Battles

Players have been asking for bigger battles with more tanks on a larger battlefield. This is where Grand Battles comes in. Available in Random Battles alongside Encounter, Standard, and Assault modes, 30 tanks each clash over a giant battleground, like the 1.4x1.4 km2 Nebelburg map. Grand Battles mode is exclusive to Tier X vehicles, and, unlike a standard map, the mode’s battle locations will have three spawn points per team, while the number of SPGs will be limited to four per team.

Grand Battles follows the rules of Standard Battles: you capture an enemy base or destroy all opponents to secure victory within 15 minutes of combat.

You’re probably wondering about the rewards you get in a mode like this. Each player will get a chance to earn Bonds for their performance in battle. The number of Bonds is tied to the XP you earn. The more XP, the more Bonds you receive. You can exchange them for things like Directives and Improved Equipment.

As part of 9.20, Grand Battles kicks off an open test on 5th September, and we’re welcoming you to hop in and share your experience on the new mode.

Bonds

Up to 9.20, engaging in Ranked Battles has been the only opportunity to earn Bonds. Starting from the update's release, you'll also be able to gain the new currency in Random Battles, if you roll into a Tier-X fight. We'll keep working on additional ways to earn and spend Bonds, so stay tuned.

As mentioned, Bonds can be used on Directives and Improved Equipment. These items can only be purchased with Bonds, but can be used on vehicles in other modes, like currency. These new items will come in handy in Random and Ranked Battles, Clan Wars, and tournaments and boost vehicle and Crew efficiency.

It’s important to note that only Improved Equipment can currently be demounted in exchange for Bonds. Upon the release of Update 9.20, Improved Equipment will be automatically demounted for free from vehicles of all players so they can mount it as they see fit. Learn more about each of these items in the Update 9.19 article.

By default, Grand Battles are enabled for all players. Players can enable or disable the battle type in Settings: Settings > General > Random Battle Types > Grand Battle

Each team is conditionally divided into three sub-groups, 10 players each.

Players cannot change sub-groups; belonging to a sub-group is determined by the matchmaker.

Team composition in Grand Battles is governed by the general rules of Matchmaker 2.0

The vehicle type composition of each of the sub-groups will as closely as possible resemble that of an analogous sub-group on the opposing team.

The number of SPGs in Grand Battles is limited to four vehicles.

The difference in the number of Platoons between the team will not exceed 2 Platooned players.

If a player in the Platoon has the Grand Battle enabled, such a Platoon can enter this battle type regardless of whether other players in the Platoon have this battle type enabled.

Map

Grand Battles are fought only in the following map: Nebelburg.

Map dimensions: 1.4x1.4 km.

How players spawn in the map is conditioned by their sub-group.

Each of the sub-groups has its own starting position (the initial spawn point).

There are two bases: one per team, as in Standard Battle.

Interface

The loading screen, statistics screen (available by pressing TAB), Battle Results screen, and the team panels have been adapted for displaying 60 players.

The whole team is divided into three sub-groups.

You can view the composition of each of the sub-groups by clicking on a corresponding sub-group.

Changed the upper element of the battle HUD. In addition to the total number of vehicles destroyed by the team, this element also shows the total amount of HP for each of the teams.

Grand Battles will be disabled by default for those players who have insufficiently powerful PCs. Such players, however, can enable it manually in Settings.

Awards, Service Record, and Statistics

Players can earn bonds in every Grand Battle. Players can also earn bonds in standard Random Battles, in Tier X vehicles only (in the so-called battle level 12 battles). Bonds are awarded to those players who have earned 400+ base experience for the battle.

The number of awarded bonds depends on the amount of experience earned in the battle.

The player can complete missions, personal missions, and earn all the awards that are available in the Random Battle mode.

Players can earn Mastery Badges in Grand Battles just as in the standard Random Battle mode.

Battles fought in the Grand Battle battle type are not counted in the player's Service Record and does not influence the statistics for the Random Battle mode.

Statistics for this battle type is displayed in the following section: Service Record > Statistics > Battle Type: Grand Battle

Statistics on specific vehicles in the Grand Battle battle type will be displayed individually in the following section: Service Record > Vehicles > Battle Type: Grand Battle.

Adapted the conditions of some medals to the new Grand Battle battle type:

Top Gun:

Destroy enemy vehicles: • 6 and more in Standard Battle, Assault, and Encounter Battle • 8 and more in Grand Battle

Destroy enemy vehicles: • 14 and more in Standard Battle, Assault, and Encounter Battle • 21 and more in Grand Battle

Improvements to Ranked Battle Mode

Client-related improvements:

Added the ability to earn Marks of Excellence and Mastery Badges in the Ranked Battle mode.

Added a visual indication of the way that directives influence the technical characteristics to infotips and simplified technical characteristics.

Added the function of equipping directives in the vehicle comparison interface so that their influence is taken into account.

Added the option that enables auto-resupply of directives in the purchase interface.

Improved Equipment can now be demounted only with bonds.

Added the display of ranks of individual vehicles in the vehicle panel when the Ranked Battle mode is selected.

Improved the interface where the received reward for a previous stage is displayed. The information about the received reward is also displayed in the pop-up hint when hovering over the rank.

Reworked the calendar interface in the mode. Information about the Prime Times on each server for a selected day is now displayed in the calendar window (previously it was displayed in a pop-up hint).

Improved Equipment can now be demounted only with bonds. When update 9.20 is released, all Improved Equipment will be automatically demounted for free, so that players can re-mount the pieces of Equipment to their liking.

Changed the list of maps that are available in the mode. Now, battles will be fought in the following maps:

Mines

Prokhorovka

Abbey

El Halluf

Airfield

Malinovka

Himmelsdorf

Murovanka

Paris

Karelia

Lakeville

Siegfried Line

Sand River

Erlenberg

Arctic Region

Tundra

Ensk

Swamp

Westfield

Fisherman's Bay

Highway

Serene Coast

Windstorm

Fjords

Pilsen

Improvements to the matchmaker:

The number of SPGs will be limited to 2 vehicles per team.

Improved the matchmaking by vehicle types (the matchmaker will try to assemble similar teams).

Improved the system of assembling teams by ranks.

Reworked the interface when entering the mode: added information about servers that are available for playing; reworked the display of information about the Prime Times.

Added special hints that explain the basic mechanics and main features of the mode to the loading screen in Ranked Battles. Implemented a separate option that allows configuring the loading screen in the Ranked Battle mode and suggest three variants of the loading screen (by analogy with the options for the Random Battles):

Text only

Illustrated tips

Minimap

Improvements to the display of the Season Leaders:

Added the event archive—statistics of players in previous seasons can be viewed.

Added the filters: clanmates and friends. Players will be able to view the positions their clan-mates and friends take among the Season Leaders.

Improvements to Crew Stun Mechanic

Added the time of caused stun to the Battle Results screen.

Improved the mechanics of causing damage and stun through obstacles. Now SPGs will not cause damage through obstacles that are 2 or more meters thick if the vehicle is fully covered by them. At the same time, explosion wave can somewhat bend the corners of obstacles. For that to happen, the distance between the point of hit and the obstacle's edge should be less than 2 meters; however, in such a case the explosion will cause decreased damage.

Introduced terrain-related changes for hard-to-reach areas in the following maps:

Karelia

Steppes

Lakeville

Abbey

Mines

Sacred Valley

Mountain Pass

El Halluf

Arctic Region

Reworked a number of vehicles to HD quality.

Vehicles that have been remodeled in HD:

SU-5

SU-14-1

Bat.-Châtillon 25 t

M12

M5A1 Stuart

Pz.Kpfw. 38H 735 (f)

Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. D

VK 30.01 (D)

T69

Matilda Black Prince

Churchill III

T-44-85

Improved Equipment

Improved Equipment can now be demounted only with bonds.

The Extended Spare Parts Kit is now a complex Equipment and can be demounted with bonds.

When update 9.20 is released, all Improved Equipment will be automatically demounted for free, so that players can re-mount the pieces of Equipment to their liking.

Directives

Added a visual indication of the way that directives influence the technical characteristics to infotips and simplified technical characteristics.

Added the function of equipping directives in the vehicle comparison interface so that their influence is taken into account.

Added the option that enables auto-resupply of directives in the purchase interface.

The bonus from Directives that influence the skills and perks of crew members is now displayed in Personal File.

Fixes

Fixed the issue where the camera was bound to the spot where the vehicle was destroyed instead of being bound to the actual destroyed vehicle.

Changed the reload time of the 105 mm mle. F1 gun for the AMX 30 B turret from 8.9 s to 7.8 s.

Changed the aiming time of the 105 mm mle. F1 gun for the AMX 30 B turret from 2.1 s to 2 s.

Improved turret armor.

Changed penetration of the OCC-105-F1 shell for the 105 mm mle. F1 gun from 320 mm to 300 mm.

Changed penetration of the OFL-105-F1 shell for the 105 mm mle. F1 gun from 260 mm to 248 mm.

Decreased the velocity of shells to 1,250 m/s for the standard and 800 m/s for Premium shell.

Replacement of the AMX 50 Foch (155) with the AMX 50 Foch B

If the AMX 50 Foch (155) is researched: The AMX 50 Foch B, Saurer F155 engine, and SCR 619 F155 radio will be automatically researched. The crew will be retrained from the AMX 50 Foch (155) to the AMX 50 Foch B (including dismissed crew members available for recovery). Undistributed experience from the AMX 50 Foch (155) will be transferred to the AMX 50 Foch B. Camouflage, Inscriptions, and Emblems will be transferred from the AMX 50 Foch (155) to the AMX 50 Foch B, retaining their durations.

If the AMX 50 Foch (155) is in the Garage: Additional Equipment will be sent to the Depot, the crew will be sent to the Barracks, the Saurer engine will be replaced with the Saurer F155 engine, the SCR 619 radio will be replaced with the SCR 619 F155 radio.The AMX 50 Foch B will be added to the Garage along with a Garage slot.The statistics will be saved for the AMX 50 Foch (155), Marks of Excellence will not be carried over.

Addition of a magazine loading system for the AMX 50 Foch.

Additional Equipment will be demounted and sent to the Depot.

Addition of a magazine loading system for the AMX AC mle. 48.

Additional Equipment will be demounted and sent to the Depot.

Japan

Changes to the technical characteristics of the following vehicles:

Type 5 Heavy

Changed the traverse speed of the Type 5 Heavy suspension from 22 deg/s to 17 deg/s.

Changed the traverse speed of the Type 5 Heavy turret from 20 deg/s to 18 deg/s.

Decreased the thickness of the hull armor.

O-I Experimental

Removed the 10 cm Cannon Type 14 gun.

Removed the APHE Type 95 shell.

Removed the APHE Type 95 Toku Kou shell.

Removed the HE Type 14 shell.

Changed the traverse speed of the O-I Experimental turret from 22 deg/s to 20 deg/s.

Increased armor of the hull and turret.

Changed the forward top speed from 40 km/h to 25 km/h.

O-I

Decreased the thickness of the hull and turret armor.

Type 4 Heavy

Changed the traverse speed of the Type 4 Heavy suspension from 20 deg/s to 15 deg/s.